Hello Green Button Community:

Today, Microsoft announced that Netflix movies and TV rentals are now available via Windows Media Center, including more than 12,000 movies and TV episodes you can watch instantly via the PC.

US-based Windows Vista users who are also Netflix members can simply click the green button to start Windows Media Center on their PC and then select the new Netflix tile under TV+Movies to begin streaming movies and TV episodes. 

People can also search the entire Netflix library, manage both their instant and DVD queues and even filter searches by titles that are available to watch instantly.Windows Media Center takes advantage of Netflix's recommended category lists to make it even easier to quickly find the movies and TV shows that consumers want to watch.

Netflix is the second recent content milestone in Windows Media Center, with the first being the Sports Channel, which offers a variety of interactive sports content from CBSSports.com, FOX Sports, MSNBC.com and more. Additionally, last fall saw the launch of the MSNBC News portal, which gives you the latest news, top stories, local weather and more.

Check out some videos  here, and other posts about the new feature.

How do I get Netflix in Windows Media Center?

Netflix in Windows Media Center began deployment on servers today. US-based users of Windows Vista Media Center will begin seeing the Netflix tile over the next 48 hours. Selecting this tile will begin the download and installation process. 

Does this work on my Media Center Extender?

Netflix in Windows Media Center is not supported on a Media Center Extender. Please note that a Netflix feature is already available on an XBox 360. Today’s announcement concerns only the availability of Netflix inside Windows Media Center on a PC, and continues the emphasis on making Windows Media Center the best place to experience TV on your PC.

 

 

Excellent news! Disappointed by the lack of Extender support but not surprised either.

I'm glad to see the Media Center team delivering a highly requested native feature.

We also have 2 videos you can embed into your blogs and watch here from The Windows Blog. I'd embed them here but not quite sure how.

http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windowsexperience/archive/2009/05/19/netflix-comes-to-windows-media-center.aspx

- Brandon

It's been needing to happen for a long time, but since there is no extender support I wont be using it. I can always access it through the xbox dashboard, and that works fine, but it would be nice to have it all work through media center.
I liked it when the old plugins would work.

Excellent news!!!!!!!  I love Netflix!

Is this feature going to be available in 7MC at some point?

Is extender support a planned feature for Windows 7?

I still cannot watch Netflix using the Linksys extender in the bedroom.

Update - I found a great solution that will allow Hulu, Netflix, and other VOD to my extenders. It's called PlayOn and PlayIt and you can read about it on this forum.

Shame on you MS for releasing this garbage.  Somebody in a garage can add Extender support but you can't.  This just show how completely incompetent MS is a times. 

MS you want to know 1 reason your extender market just bombed?  It took you 3 years to not even catch up with people writing code in a garage for free?  The 360 has support, "BUT NOT IN MEDIA CENTER!(aka nothing to do with the Media Center Experience or usability)"  This is terrible, MS I guess this is you admitting that no one uses extenders(besides a 360) but the people on this forum.

Yes my wife you can watch Netflix in living room this way, but in the bedroom do it this way(if your using a 360, if not your screwed )?  If this is only available to a PC why wouldn't a user just go to netflix.com? 

Thanks, but no thanks you can have your 3 year old, extender-less add on (The one thing that really gives Media Center a advantage) back.  I will continue to use the product made in someones garage because they have more man power and resources than MS(I guess)

Thanks
Alton

Once again Disappointed Media Center Fanboy

Great News!!!

Can't wait to see this on 7MC

alton987:

Shame on you MS for releasing this garbage.  Somebody in a garage can add Extender support but you can't.  This just show how completely incompetent MS is a times. 

MS you want to know 1 reason your extender market just bombed?  It took you 3 years to not even catch up with people writing code in a garage for free?  The 360 has support, "BUT NOT IN MEDIA CENTER!(aka nothing to do with the Media Center Experience or usability)"  This is terrible, MS I guess this is you admitting that no one uses extenders(besides a 360) but the people on this forum.

Yes my wife you can watch Netflix in living room this way, but in the bedroom do it this way(if your using a 360, if not your screwed )?  If this is only available to a PC why wouldn't a user just go to netflix.com? 

Thanks, but no thanks you can have your 3 year old, extender-less add on (The one thing that really gives Media Center a advantage) back.  I will continue to use the product made in someones garage because they have more man power and resources than MS(I guess)

Thanks
Alton

Once again Disappointed Media Center Fanboy

Its not so simple as to 'writing code' you know Microsoft had the the talent already.  The issue is content providers holding this up.  None of the media center plugins that were made by the community were ever officially supported by netflix and netflix/micosoft has to clear it with content providers before they can produce portals for this kind of content.   Lack of extender support might be due to the underlying technologies such as silverlight and how reliable the experience will be on extenders.  The next wave (if there ever will be) of extenders might use the new RDP/Windows Media Foundation/Direct X technolgies and thus wont have the same limitations as the current platform.

As always with our love/hate relationship with media center, time will tell.

DAnton1316:

Great News!!!

Can't wait to see this on 7MC

This is not great its sad.... See my rant. This would be great if this came out 2 years ago...

If this is only available to a PC why wouldn't a user just go to NETFLIX.com????

This is not good news its HORRIBLE NEWS

and more prof that extenders are dead

First The Sports Channel "wont work on Extenders"

and Now Netflix "wont work on Extenders"

And what is the deal with this "TV on the PC" crap

Who wants to watch TV on the PC when i have a TV 

and everyone at microsoft got mad at Chris when he potied this out

http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/archive/2009/01/14/1661776.aspx

and they are stil saying the exact same thing

I LOVE Media Center but what direction are you going with this product?

Do you even konw?

What great news, except if you don't live in the US, or have Win7 Installed, Doh.

What i would like to see is Microsoft get in bed with some of the UK based broadcaster and implement platforms such as the BBC's IPlayer, or even better get in nice and early with the new Canvas initiative and cover all the bases.

Would be real nice to see a netflix like streaming service here in the Uk though, even if it weren't MC integrated. As far as i am aware at the moment there is nothing equivalent to the this in the Uk, it's all individual download rental or physical disks only. I am itching to give someone my money for this, but no-one seems to want it. Guess i shall just have to spend it on Beer and Chocolate Raisins instead. Hmm, Chocolate Raisins . . . . . .

I'm disappointed about the lack of extender support.  Instead there is a comment about the availability of a separate NetFlix app on XBox 360.  Well, the whole point of Media Extenders was to bring the same Media Center experience on your PC to your TV.  I don't want to have to remember, oh, I'm running a XBox, I have to exit Extender mode to launch NetFlix.  Part of the lure of Media Center was that I could have a common UI on all our TVs.

I was super excited about this, until I read that it's not available for Windows 7 Media Center yet. That sucks! Windows 7 x64 doesn't even support the Netflix browser plugin, so at the moment, those of us running Win7 are just SOL. I sure hope this comes to Win7 sooner rather than later. Third party plugins are nice, but nothing beats official support.

I would not like to gift shop for some people here, I would definately have to include the receipt.

I am grateful for the news, I'm currently on Win7 but I'm sure this will make to the RTM.  What a great step forward.

Thanks